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Without Jerry Buss, will Lakers remain in good hands?

The death of Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss takes the questions beyond whether the franchise that won 10 NBA titles under him can salvage this season. The uncertainty now is whether the Lakes can sustain.

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Without Jerry Buss, will Lakers remain in good hands?

Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY Sports
7:11 p.m. MST February 18, 2013

Jeanie Buss, shown in 2009, has run the Lakers' business side for years as her father aged. Now she officially will be taking the franchise over with her brother.(Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images)

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Los Angeles Lakers were under control of siblings Jim, Jeanie Buss before owner Jerry Buss' death

The death of Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss takes the questions beyond whether the franchise that won 10 NBA titles under him can salvage this season. The uncertainty now is whether the Lakers can sustain their lofty status in coming years.

Buss died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He had been undergoing cancer treatment.

With this season's Lakers struggling at 25-29 and 10th in the Western Conference entering the second half ot the season, team spokesman John Black said Buss had prepared the franchise for the transition ahead. His son Jim, the Lakers' executive vice president of player personnel, has been running the basketball operations since 2011. His daughter, Jeanie, has overseen the business side.

"The future of the organization will remain unchanged. Dr. Buss set it up years in advance — he planned for the team to remain with the family," Black said. "As far as the operation and running of the team, that will be unchanged."

But it remains to be seen who will be the dominant voice in running the Lakers' show, a job Buss did masterfully on the marketing and basketball side. Hall of Famer Magic Johnson clearly is aligned with Jeanie Buss.

"Now (Buss) leaves and incredible organization to his kids, and Jeanie Buss is so smart and intelligent," Johnson said Monday in an interview with ESPN. "He sent her to (University of Southern California) business school, and he knew that he wanted her to be a major factor and be a part of the Laker organization and probably run it one day."

This season, the Lakers fired Mike Brown as coach as result of a 1-4 start. He was replaced by Mike D'Antoni after the Lakers initially contacted former coach Phil Jackson about a possible return. Jackson and Jeanie Buss were engaged over the Christmas holiday.

Jerry Buss presided over 10 Lakers championships as team owner since 1979 before dying Monday. He was beloved in Los Angeles, an icon in the NBA. Here we look at other iconic owners in sports. Damian Dovarganes, AP

George Halas, Chicago Bears: Halas defines this list, founding the Bears franchise in 1920 (as the Decatur Staleys) and maintaining ownership until his 1983 death. He also coached the team for 40 of those years, as the Bears were perhaps the NFL's most successful franchise. AP

Art Rooney, Pittsburgh Steelers: Rooney, nicknamed "The Chief," founded the Steelers in 1933 and oversaw four Super Bowl titles before passing own ownership to his son Dan, left. Rooney turned the Steelers into one of the preeminent teams in the NFL and helped the league expand. AP

Mike Ilitch, Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers: Ilitch may be the most beloved active owner, as he has helped turn the Red Wings into the NHL's most consistent franchise and the Tigers into a rising baseball power. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Al Davis, Oakland-Los Angeles Raiders: Davis was the Raiders, buying the team in 1972 after serving as coach and general manager previously. He pushed his teams and the NFL and played a major role in the league's expansion and enterprise. Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

George Steinbrenner, New York Yankees: Steinbrenner ran the Yankees with an iron fist as owner from 1973-2010. Perhaps the most controversial figure on this list, he was barred from controlling the team from 1990-93 after paying a gambler to dig up dirt on player Dave Winfield. But the Yankees won seven titles under his ownership, and he helped expand free-market enterprising in baseball. Suzanne Plunkett, AP

Jack Kent Cooke, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings: Cooke was a hockey enthusiast whose greatest success were in basketball and football. He owned the Redskins from 1961-97, taking over as controlling owner in 1974. He bought the Lakers in 1965 and sold them to Jerry Buss in 1979. And he founded the Kings in 1966 and sold them with the Lakers. Charles Tasnadi, AP

Conn Smythe, Toronto Maple Leafs: Smythe was the most influential owner in the NHL, and his name is on the playoffs MVP trophy. His Maple Leafs won eight Stanley Cups, and he was principle owner from 1927-61. B. Bennett, Getty Images

Lamar Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs: Hunt was the founder of the American Football League, which he then helped merge with the NFL. He also moved the Dallas Texans to Kansas City in 1966 and maintained Chiefs ownership until his 2006 death. Ed Zurga, AP

Walter O'Malley, Brooklyn-Los Angeles Dodgers: O'Malley presided over the Dodgers from 1950-79, and he oversaw many of the most successful teams in franchise history as well as Major League Baseball's expansion to the West Coast. AP

Bill Veeck, St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox: Veeck was a pioneer in his tenure as owner of three teams from 1946-81. He integrated the American League with the Indians and used the majors' shortest player, Eddie Gaedel, with the Browns. AP

Green Bay, Wis., Green Bay Packers: The Packers are owned by the people of their city, a unique situation in all sports. But it's never inhibited them in the past, as Green Bay has 13 NFL championships. The Post-Crescent